Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs)

Drug manufacturers offer programs called Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) that help low-income people get prescription drugs. Each PAP has its own rules about eligibility and what they will pay for. Before you look for a PAP, write down what drugs you need and make sure you have information about your income handy, such as your most recent paystub.

Look at RxAssist’s database of Patient Assistance Programs, with up-to-date information on how to access assistance from nearly 100 companies and more than 700 medications.

Go to Medicare.gov and check out its list of PAPs meant for people in the donut hole. This list is also useful for anybody, not just people on Medicare.

If you are enrolled in a health insurance or drug coverage program that already pays for your medications, you probably won’t be eligible for a Patient Assistance Program. However, insured individuals may be able to obtain a coupon directly from the drug manufacturer or from their doctor’s office that will help to reduce their prescription copayments.

The maximum amount of assets you're allowed to own while maintaining eligibility for a particular disability benefits program. Most benefits programs do not count everything you own, including the home you live in and one car you own. For Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the first $100,000 in an ABLE account is not counted as assets. For Medical Assistance, SNAP (formerly Food Support/Food Stamps), and some other programs, none of the money in an ABLE account is counted.

A set amount you have to pay when you receive medical services. For example, you may have to pay $30 every time you visit the doctor or $20 to get a prescription refilled. This is also known as a "copay."

The doctor, nurse practitioner, or other medical service provider who is in charge of your medical care in a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). In HMOs, you have to see a PCP in order to get a referral to see a specialist. Other types of health coverage might not have PCPs, or might charge you more if you see a specialist without getting a referral from a PCP.